Apparatus for harvesting stumps



March 2o, 192.8.

, J. T. MURRY ET AL APPARATUS FORHARVESTING sTUMPs Filed Feb. 15. 1927wf/Waff.:

er 7,' Mu fry W/m/fss: Wa.

' sive proceeding.

Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

Utell-"TED` STATES JASPER T. MURRY ANI) CLARE B. PATTERSON, OFHATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI, AS- y SIGNORS TO HERCULES POVDER COMPANY, OFWILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COR- PORATION F DELAWARE.

APPARATUS ron HAnvnsTrNe sruinrs.v

Application led February 15, 1927. Serial No. 168,271.

Our invention relates to improved means for facilitating the harvestingof stumps, such, for example, as 4are used'as a. source of naval stores.V A

In yconnection with the productionof navalstores, such as turpentine,resin,y etc. a valuable source of rawmaterial is comprised inpinestumps, which are found in, large cut over areas from which the pinetimber has been removed. In the usual process for the production ofnaval stores from fpine stumpsA the stumps are harvested, transport-k edvto a plant, reduced toy chips, which are digested with steam for theremovaly of turpentine therefrom, and finally extracted with gasolinefor the recovery of rosin.` y y While pine stumps are recognized as anexcellent source of naval stores, the harvesting ofthe stumps from cutover ,areas with .economy has heretofore presented a substantialproblem, sinceV the stumps, usually of substantial size, are tenaciouslyheld to thev ground'by their roots and their removal is a diflicult" andmore'or less exper the use of dynamite. puller is unsatisfactory andoften when the stumps are large. ineffective,'while the use of dynamiteis relatively expensive and hazardous, especially when, as is usuallythe case, unskilled labor is employed.

Now it is the object of our-invention to provide means whereby theharvesting of stumps may be accomplished in a simple and eiiicientmanner and without any hazard to the labor employed and at a minimum ofexpense in time and labor.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of ourinvention, we will proceed to a detailed description thereof withreference to the accompanying draw-` ing in which there is illustrated apreferred embodiment of our invention and in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of an apparatus embodying our invention. v

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a stump split up by the apparat-us shownin Fig. 1.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 comprises aV platform a mounted at itsrear end upon a pair of wheels or suitable caterpillar treads, andprovided at its forward end with a bracket o adapted to be pivotallysecured A to the pitch at the rear of a tractor d. The

Heretofore the stumps have been removed by stump pullers and byyHowever, the stumpk wheels bare of such a diameter andthe bracket yc isso formed that'the platform a will be supported substantially horizontaltothe ground and at a distance from thek ground sufficient vto pass overthe usual stump e, as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the platform a is a 'derriclrcomprising four posts fextending from the corners of the platform and connected to ay crownpiece g. The posts f are cross-braced by means of brace members 7L. Apair of vertical members z' extend from a circular base y', which restson the platform concentric with ay hole formed therein and which isrotatable thereon within stops c, which act to po-` sition it. rThemembers c' are connected at Y the upper ends to a cross member Z, whichis pivotally connected to the crown piece g.

vA heavy weight m havinga wedge` like blade n formed on its lower end isslidably mounted between the vertical members z'` and is adapted to beraised by means of a cableio secured to its upper end and which passesthroughthe ycrown piece g over a pulley p mounted on the crown piece andfrom thence to a winch g' mounted on the tractor and adapted to beoperated by the tractor engine. The winch is so controlled as to bereleased when the weight m is 'in upper position to permit the weight todrop under the infiuence of gravity.

In the operation of the apparatus described, the platform a is drawn bythe tractor to al position with the hole, formedtherein within the basey', over a stump. The weight m is raised by the operation of the winch gwhich is then released permitting the weight, guided by the members z',to drop. The weight drops through the hole in the platform, which is ofa size to permit ythe passage of the weight, and the blade fn.

cured to the platform and which act to prevent rotation of the baseafter adjustment. Luge t may be variously positioned to enable variousadjustments of the directions of extension of the blade to be made.After adjustment the weight is again permitted to drop and drive theblade n into the stump with the result that each of the two parts intowhich the stump was previously split are split into two parts, the stumpbeing thus quartered as shown in the stump e, Fig. 2.

Ordinarily the quartering of the stump, as described, is sutlicient toenable removal of the parts, which may be accomplished by an ordinarystump puller, or the platform having been drawn away the tractor may bennhitched therefrom and the winch g used for removing the quarters ofthe stump.

If thestump to be removed be of excessive size, or if desirable for anyreason, the blade may be utilized, as is obvious, for splitting thestump into any number of sections desired.

Having now fully described our invention, What We claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patentis l. In an apparatus for harvesting stumps, incombination, a platform, means for supporting the platform substantiallyhorizontal to and at a distance from the `ground and permitting theplatform to be moved from place to place, a base rotatable relatively tosaid platform, guide members extending from said base, a blade engagedby said guide members and means for raising said blade to a height andfor permitting it to drop by gravity, said platform being aperturedwithin the confines of said rotatable base to permit said blade to passtherethrough.

2. In an apparatus for harvesting stumps, in combination, a tractor, aplatform, a pair of Wheels adapted to support said platform at one end,a bracket secured to said platform at its other end and adapted forconnection with the tractor, a derrick including a crown piece mountedon said platform, a

rotatable base mounted on said platform beneath the crown piece of saidderrick, a cross member pivotally hung from the crown piece of saidderrick members, a pair of guides secured to said cross member, aweighted blade positioned between and engaging said guide members, apulley mounted on said .derrick adjacent its top, a hoist on thetractor, a cable Vsecured to said blade and extended over said pulley tosaid hoist whereby said blade may be hoisted to adjacent the top of thederrick and means whereby said hoist may be released to permit saidblade todrop under the influence of gravity, said platform beingapertured. within the confines of said rotatable basgJ for the passageof said blade. M

In testimony of which invention, we have hereunto set our hands, atHattiesburg, Mississippi, on this 22nd day of January, 1927.

JASPER T. MURRY. CLARE B. PATTERSON.

